Dampener for sheet feeds or separators.



PAT

ENTED FEB. s, 1906.

G. G. HARRIS. DAMPENER FOR SHEET FEEDS OR SBPARATORS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 24,1905.

- 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

6 llnn nnnnnn VII/ll 3J1 window, W 52; G. fdzi-i'als No. 811,843.PATENTED FEB. 6, 1906.

4 0. G. HARRIS;

DAMPBNER FOR SHEET FEEDS 0R SEPARATORS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 24,1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED srA'rRs PATENT OFFICE.

oHARLEs GRANT HARRIS, oF'NILEs. oruo. ASSIGNOR To THE HARRISAUTOMATIOPRESS COMPANY, or NILES, OHIO, A CORPORATION or OHIO.

IDAMPENQR FOR SHEET FEEDS OR SEPARATORS.

$pecification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 6, 1906.

Application filed February 24, 1905- Serial No. 247,130.

5 useful Imprpvements in Dampeners for Sheet Feeds or Separators; and Ido hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

. In the feeding or separating of paper by bands, rollers, orpushershaving rubber faces it is necessary in order to secure best results tofrequently clean and dam en the surface enga in the stock. It is t enpossible to readily eed or-separate stock of various degrees ofthickness and texture; but after the effect of the cleaning anddampening has worn away the most careful adjustment is necessary to makesuch devices feed even one kind of stock. It has heretofore been soughtto furnish thenecessary moisture by means of dampeners com osed ofhollow perforated rollers covered wit cloth throu h which water or waterand lycerin Wou d percolate. The objection to al such devices has beenthe inability to secure an even dampening of the surface of thestock-engaging element. With a hollow 'erforated roll of the characterspecifled the uid will when the feeder or separator is not in operationdrip at the bottom side and when the machine is a ain started up willdeposit an extra amount 0 water, so much so, in fact, that severalsheets will be spoiled before the press can be properly started. If thequantity of water is cut down so as to overcome this trouble, sufficientpercolation will not result to answer the requirements.

The object of my invent on is to provide a dampener which when themachine is in operation will supply a sufficient amount of moisture togive to the whole'surface of the paper-engaging element a slightmoistening and yet which when the machine is not in operation will notordinarily allow any greater amount of water to seep to the surface.thereof than may be taken up by evaporation.

My invention comprehends the employment of an imperforatefluid-containing body of-such density of composition that the fluid willgradually seepto the exterior surface in sufficient quantity to properlymoisten a paper en a in element contacting therewith. Th e rati orquantity of the flow or seepage may be increased by admitting a supplyof air to the interior ofthe body.

The invention will be hereinafter fully set forth, and particularlypointed out in the claims.

of my moistener to a sheet feed or separator.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view. Fig. 3 is a side view. Fig. 4shows the device as used in feeding from the top of a pile. Fig. 5 showsthe application of my invention to a different form of feeder or pusher.

Referring to the drawings Figs. 1 and 3, 1 designates thefrictionally-retarded element, and 2 the intermittentlypositively-driven element of a sheet feed or separator .of the typeembraced by Letters Patent No. 651,307 issued to me June 5, 1900. Asshown in the drawings, the intermittently-driven element is composed ofa series of bands passed around rollers 3. In order to'secure goodresults and keep the bands in perfect condition for enga ing the stock,I locate immediately thereunrfiar and in engagement therewith thedampener 4. This is shown in the form of a hollow roller-like body,mounted at its ends in brackets 5, wherein it is free to turn. Thisroller is not made with perforations, but is composed of a clay-likesubstance, preferably diatomaceous earth, solid at one end, while itsfilling end is preferably hermetically sealed bya stopper or valve 6. Byconstructing this roller of a clay-like substance and sealing the sameagainst the admission of air the water contained therein will seepthrough the wall thereof only in sufficient quantity to properly moistenthe engaging feeder element. In this way the latter is uniformlydampened, and'this is true even if the feeder sired to secure heavierdampening by a greater flow of water, it is only necessary to allow ofthe inlet of a small amount of air say by slightly loosening or openingup the In this event the water will flow more freely, and when themachine is stopped it will drip from the bottom of the roller if allowedto stand any length of time, the seepage being in excess of that whichcan be taken up by evaporation from the exte rior surface.

In Fi 4 the functions of the two elements of the eeder are transposed,as in feeding from the top of a pile. In this arrangement thefrictionally-retardedelement is 2 and the positively-driven element is1", the dampener being shown in engagement therewith.

In Fig. 5 I have shown the application of my dampener 4 to a rubbing orpushing element consisting of a rubber roller 7 on a finger 8. This isdone to illustrate the fact that my invention is not limited in itsapplication, since it may be used in connection with various forms offeeders or pushers intended to have frictional contact with paper,cards, &c.

, I claim as my invention- 1. A moistening device for paper feeding orpushing elements, com rising an imperforate fluid-oontaining bo y fromwhich the fluid will gradually seep to the outer surface sufficient tomoisten a paper-engaging element.

- 2. A moistening device for paper feeding or pushing elements, comrising an imperforate fluid-containing bo y from which the fluid willseep to the outer surface in quanvalve or stopper.

mg body of diatomaceous earth from which the fluid will be caused toseep to the outer surface in quantity not exceeding that which may betaken up by evaporation or by a paper-engaging element contactingtherewith.

5. A moistening device for paper-feeding bands or rollers comprising afluid-containin body of diatomaceous earth from which the fluid will becaused to seep to the outer.

surface in quantity not exceeding that which may be taken up byevaporation or by a pa per-engaging element contacting therewith, andmeans for controlling the admission of air to such body to increase theflow therefrom.

' In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presenceof two subscrib- 1ng witnesses.

., CHARLES GRANT HARRIS.

Witnesses:

J. R. GILBERT,

C. G. PRITOHARD.

fluid-contain-

